# Animal appeals explained: types and how to check them

> Symbolic adoption, sponsorship, food funds, sterilisation and emergency rescue: what each type of appeal pays for, how to check fundraising permits and legal status in Indonesia, red flags and where to report.

Source: https://panduanhewan.org/en/help/animal-appeals-explained/ · Updated 1 October 2026 · English · Bahasa Indonesia: https://panduanhewan.org/id/bantu/jenis-penggalangan-dana-hewan/
_This Markdown mirror is generated at build time from the same data as the HTML page. Cite the HTML page URL and its update date._

## Types of appeal

### Symbolic adoption

You donate in the name of one animal or one species and usually receive a certificate, photos, updates or a souvenir. "Adoption" is a figure of speech: you do not own the animal, cannot take it home and have no say in its care.

Pays for: Usually the organisation's programme as a whole, such as animal care, habitat protection or research, not only the individual animal in your photo. Read the programme terms to see where the money goes and what the souvenir pack costs.

### Sponsoring an animal in rehabilitation

You help pay for the care of a specific animal or group that is being restored to health and natural behaviour so it can live in the wild again. You usually get progress updates. You do not decide the animal's future: for wildlife in Indonesia, assessments and recommendations come from a team appointed by the head of the regional conservation (BKSDA) or national park office (Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation 17/2024 Article 5(1)).

Pays for: Food, veterinary checks and treatment, quarantine and lab tests, enclosures, behavioural enrichment, keepers, then the cost of release and monitoring afterwards (Regulation 17/2024 Articles 23, 28, 29 and 31).

### Food and veterinary care funds for shelters

Appeals from shelters (for dogs, cats or other animals) for day-to-day running costs or for one named medical case. You do not own the animals you help. Unless the appeal names a medical case, donations usually go to the shared needs of all residents.

Pays for: Food, veterinary drugs and procedures, vaccines, sterilisation, cleaning, power and water, rent and keepers' wages. The WOAH dog population management standard says housing facilities need sustainable finances to cover ongoing running costs (Article 7.7.26).

### Sterilisation and vaccination drives (including rabies vaccination)

Campaigns that sterilise and/or vaccinate owned or free-roaming dogs and cats, sometimes by catching, neutering, vaccinating and returning them. Donors receive no animal; the output is the number of animals treated and the vaccination coverage achieved.

Pays for: Vets' time, anaesthesia and other drugs, vaccines and the cold chain, marking treated animals, transport, post-operative care and education for owners.

### Emergency rescue appeals (disasters, cruelty cases)

Urgent requests after floods, fires, eruptions or a viral cruelty case: to evacuate animals, treat the injured, and provide temporary shelter and food. For wildlife, evacuation during disasters is part of the government-regulated species rescue framework (Regulation 17/2024 Article 1 point 8 and Article 2).

Pays for: Evacuation and transport, triage and treatment, cages or temporary housing, food and field staff.

### Habitat protection and land purchase

Money to protect, restore or secure forest, wetland or coast: buying or leasing land, planting and tending trees, fire prevention and agreements with local communities. Donors do not become owners of the land.

Pays for: Land price or lease, survey and legal costs, nurseries and planting, years of maintenance, patrols and fire prevention, community programmes and monitoring.

### Anti-poaching patrols and wildlife-crime support

Funding for patrol teams that remove snares, gather information and support law enforcement (training, data analysis, legal support). In Indonesia, conservation crimes are investigated by police and civil-service investigators (PPNS) (Law 5/1990 Article 39, as amended by Law 32/2024); civil society supports them and does not replace them. Public reports can be used by PPNS as preliminary evidence (Article 39A).

Pays for: Patrol team wages and rations, GPS units and cameras, snare removal, informant networks, training, data systems and legal aid.

### Wildlife rescue and release

Rescuing wild animals from conflict, trade, confiscation or disasters, caring for them and releasing them when suitable. For protected species, assessment involves a veterinarian (Regulation 17/2024 Article 8(1)), release needs the Director General's approval (Article 22(a)) and is carried out with the local conservation office and documented in an official release report (Article 26(1)).

Pays for: Evacuation, veterinary care, quarantine, habituation near the release site (at least 3 days for rehabilitated animals, Article 25(3)), site assessments, transport and post-release monitoring.

### Research and monitoring

Money for population surveys, camera traps, wildlife health studies or tracking animals after release. The results are data, reports or publications, often months or years later, rather than an instant rescue story.

Pays for: Field teams, equipment (camera traps, GPS collars), lab analysis, data processing, permits and publication.

### Volunteering and voluntourism

Volunteering at shelters, sanctuaries, rehabilitation centres or field projects, sometimes sold as paid travel packages. The fee pays for lodging, food and coordination; part may go to the project. You are not guaranteed contact with animals, and good programmes deliberately limit it.

Pays for: Volunteers' lodging and food, supervision, local transport and a contribution to the project. Ask for a breakdown of the fee before signing up.

### In-kind donations (goods and food)

Giving food, medicine, blankets, cages, cleaning supplies or equipment instead of money. In Indonesia, the PUB rules cover both money and goods (Law 9/1961 Article 1; Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Article 12(2)).

Pays for: Goods are used directly. A licensed organiser is responsible for their condition, must distribute consumables within 1 month and durable goods within 3 months after collection ends, and bears the distribution costs (Regulation 8/2021 Articles 16 to 18).

### Crowdfunding by individuals

A person asks for donations through social media, bank transfer, e-wallets or a crowdfunding platform for one animal or one cause. The money goes to the organiser, who controls how it is spent.

Pays for: Whatever the organiser says, for example vet bills for one animal. There is no automatic guarantee the money is used as promised.

## How to check

### Check the fundraising permit (PUB)

In Indonesia, any collection of money or goods from the public needs a permit in advance (Law 9/1961 Article 2(1)). Permits are given to the public through incorporated civil-society organisations, meaning associations (perkumpulan) or foundations (yayasan) (Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Article 3). Animal protection and environmental conservation are recognised purposes (Article 12(1)(g) and (h)).

No permit is needed for zakat, collections inside places of worship, emergencies within a limited circle, mutual help within a school, office, neighbourhood or village, and limited spontaneous gatherings (Regulation 8/2021 Article 4 as amended by Regulation 8/2024).

Who issues the permit depends on scope (Regulation 8/2021 Article 9): the Minister of Social Affairs for more than one province, one province when the applicant is based in another province, or aid sent abroad; the governor for more than one regency/city within one province; the regent or mayor for a single regency/city. A permit lasts at most 3 months and can be extended once by up to 1 month (Article 11).

How to check: the Ministry of Social Affairs runs a Cek Program page at simugbpub.kemensos.go.id to look up PUB programmes registered with the ministry (enter the organisation name and programme name, then a captcha). Digital permits are e-signed and carry a QR code so the public can verify them. Permits issued by a governor or regent/mayor may not appear there; ask the local social affairs office (dinas sosial) or one-stop licensing office (DPMPTSP).

Unlicensed organisers can receive written warnings and be publicly named in the media, besides criminal sanctions under the law (Regulation 8/2021 Articles 29 and 30; Law 9/1961 Article 8).

Basis: [UU No. 9 Tahun 1961 tentang Pengumpulan Uang atau Barang, Pasal 2 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/51166/uu-no-9-tahun-1961) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021 tentang Penyelenggaraan Pengumpulan Uang atau Barang, Pasal 3 ayat (2)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026 tentang Pedoman Teknis Penyelenggaraan PUB, Lampiran I Bab I huruf D angka 2](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2024 (perubahan Permensos 8/2021), Pasal I angka 1 (Pasal 4)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/311984/permensos-no-8-tahun-2024) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021, Pasal 9 ayat (4)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021, Pasal 11 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021, Pasal 12 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Kementerian Sosial, SIMUGB-PUB: Cek Program](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Cek_Program) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026 tentang Pedoman Teknis Penyelenggaraan PUB, Lampiran I Bab II huruf d angka 7 huruf e](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile) · [Kementerian Sosial: Kemensos Luncurkan Aplikasi Permudah Izin Sumbangan dan Undian Berhadiah (27 Desember 2024)](https://kemensos.go.id/berita-terkini/menteri-sosial/Kemensos-Luncurkan-Aplikasi-Permudah-Izin-Sumbangan-dan-Undian-Berhadiah)

### What a licensed fundraiser must do

Licensed fundraisers must report on the collection with supporting evidence: what was collected, how it was distributed, a statement of full responsibility, documentation of distribution, and a public accountant's audit when more than Rp500 million is collected. The report goes to the permit issuer within 30 days after distribution ends (Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Article 25).

Money for non-construction purposes must be distributed within 3 months after collection ends, and for physical construction or rebuilding within 1 year (Regulation 8/2021 Article 14).

Fundraising costs are capped at 10% of the amount collected (Government Regulation 29/1980 Article 6(1)); the Ministry of Social Affairs explains that this cap does not apply to donations for disaster victims.

Since 2024, applicants also commit to publishing an organisational profile with at least its history, board, activities, address and phone number (Regulation 8/2024, Article 5(1)(k)). A licensed collection may not take the form of crypto-assets, foreign payment systems or foreign bank accounts (Decree 78/2026).

You may ask the fundraiser about all of this. The public can also monitor PUB collections and report findings through the ministry's online system (Decree 78/2026, Chapter III).

Basis: [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021, Pasal 25 ayat (2) huruf d](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [PP No. 29 Tahun 1980 tentang Pelaksanaan Pengumpulan Sumbangan, Pasal 6 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/66625/pp-no-29-tahun-1980) · [Kementerian Sosial, SIMUGB-PUB: Perizinan Pengumpulan Uang/Barang](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/IzinPUB) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2024, Pasal I angka 2 (Pasal 5 ayat (1) huruf k)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/311984/permensos-no-8-tahun-2024) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026, Lampiran I Bab II huruf e angka 3](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026, Lampiran I Bab III](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile)

### Check that the foundation or association legally exists

A foundation only becomes a legal entity once the Minister approves its deed of establishment (Law 16/2001 Article 11(1) as amended by Law 28/2004). Incorporated foundations and associations can be searched on AHU Online, run by the Directorate General of General Legal Administration at the Ministry of Law (ahu.go.id, Pencarian Yayasan and Pencarian Perkumpulan).

Match the organisation's full name on the poster or post with the name in AHU. A name that resembles a well-known organisation, or one that cannot be found at all, deserves caution. Being a legal entity does not mean it holds a PUB permit; check both.

Basis: [UU No. 28 Tahun 2004 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 16 Tahun 2001 tentang Yayasan, Pasal I angka 3 (Pasal 11 ayat (1))](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40703/uu-no-28-tahun-2004) · [Ditjen AHU, Kementerian Hukum: Pencarian Yayasan](https://ahu.go.id/pencarian/profil-yayasan) · [Ditjen AHU, Kementerian Hukum: Pencarian Perkumpulan](https://ahu.go.id/pencarian/profil-perkumpulan) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021 tentang Penyelenggaraan Pengumpulan Uang atau Barang, Pasal 3 ayat (2)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026 tentang Pedoman Teknis Penyelenggaraan PUB, Lampiran I Bab I huruf D angka 2](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile)

### Ask for annual reports and accounts

Foundation boards must prepare an annual report, including financial statements, within 5 months after the financial year closes (Law 16/2001 Article 49(1)). A summary is posted on the notice board at the foundation's office (Law 28/2004, Article 52(1)).

A foundation that receives state aid, foreign aid and/or other contributions of Rp500 million or more in one financial year, or holds non-waqf assets of Rp20 billion or more, must publish a summary of its financial statements in an Indonesian-language daily newspaper and have its financial statements audited by a public accountant (Law 28/2004, Article 52(2) and (3)).

Small organisations may not need an audit, but they should still be able to explain their programmes and how money is used. The US Federal Trade Commission advises suspicion when you cannot find detailed information about an organisation's mission and programmes.

Basis: [UU No. 16 Tahun 2001 tentang Yayasan, Pasal 49 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/44893/uu-no-16-tahun-2001) · [UU No. 28 Tahun 2004 tentang Perubahan atas UU Yayasan, Pasal 52 ayat (1) dan (3)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40703/uu-no-28-tahun-2004) · [UU No. 28 Tahun 2004 tentang Perubahan atas UU Yayasan, Pasal 52 ayat (2) huruf a](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40703/uu-no-28-tahun-2004) · [U.S. Federal Trade Commission: Before Giving to a Charity](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/giving-charity)

### Protected wildlife: who may care for it

No one may hunt, catch, keep, own, raise, transport or trade live protected animals (Law 5/1990 Article 21(2)(a) as amended by Law 32/2024). Exceptions exist only for research, science and/or species rescue (Law 5/1990 Article 22(1)).

Rescues follow Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation 17/2024 on species rescue: the assessment team is appointed by the head of the BKSDA or national park office (Article 5(1)), a veterinarian must be involved (Article 8(1)), and releases are carried out with the local office and an official release report (Article 26(1)). People already keeping a protected animal can hand it over voluntarily (Article 7(6)).

Wildlife rescue centres and rehabilitation centres are special-purpose conservation institutions (Regulation P.22/2019 Article 1 point 10 and Article 7(2)). They are managed through cooperation with incorporated partners, such as foundations or NGOs (Articles 20 and 21).

Red flag: an appeal showing someone keeping a protected wild animal at home, asking for money for its "care", or offering it for "adoption". Displaying protected animals in electronic media for commercial purposes without a permit is also prohibited (Law 5/1990 Article 21(2)(f) as amended by Law 32/2024).

Basis: [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan atas UU No. 5 Tahun 1990, Pasal I angka 10 (Pasal 21 ayat (2) huruf a)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/295135/uu-no-32-tahun-2024) · [UU No. 5 Tahun 1990 tentang Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Hayati dan Ekosistemnya, Pasal 22 ayat (1) (tidak diubah oleh UU 32/2024)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/46710/uu-no-5-tahun-1990) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024, Pasal 5 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/309466/permen-lhk-no-17-tahun-2024) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024, Pasal 7 ayat (6)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/309466/permen-lhk-no-17-tahun-2024) · [Permen LHK No. P.22 Tahun 2019 tentang Lembaga Konservasi, Pasal 1 angka 10](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/286807/permen-lhk-no-22-tahun-2019) · [Permen LHK No. P.22 Tahun 2019 tentang Lembaga Konservasi, Pasal 20 dan Pasal 21 ayat (2)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/286807/permen-lhk-no-22-tahun-2019) · [UU No. 32 Tahun 2024, Pasal I angka 10 (Pasal 21 ayat (2) huruf f)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/295135/uu-no-32-tahun-2024)

### Beware of staged "rescue" videos

Fake rescue content shows animals deliberately put in danger so the creator can appear to "rescue" them. In six weeks of monitoring, the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC) collected more than 1,000 links to such content, watched over 572 million times; 21% of the creators asked for donations claiming to help animals.

Signs listed by SMACC: no genuine animal organisation involved, one account with many "rescue" videos, no follow-up on what happened to the animals, the same "rescuer" every time, unlikely species combinations (such as a snake attacking kittens), the filmer delaying help to keep recording, and multiple camera angles that suggest a set-up.

Do not like, share or donate to such content; report it to the platform. Hurting or injuring an animal excessively or without proper purpose is a crime (Criminal Code Article 337).

Basis: [Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition: Fake rescue content, all you need to know](https://www.endcrueltyonline.com/fake-rescue) · [Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition: Spot the Scam, Unmasking Fake Rescues (report page)](https://www.endcrueltyonline.com/fake-rescue-report) · [Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition: Spot the Scam, Unmasking Fake Rescues (report page)](https://www.endcrueltyonline.com/fake-rescue-report) · [Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition: Fake rescue content, all you need to know](https://www.endcrueltyonline.com/fake-rescue) · [Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition: Fake rescue content, all you need to know](https://www.endcrueltyonline.com/fake-rescue) · [UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 tentang KUHP (berlaku 2 Januari 2026), Pasal 337 ayat (1) huruf a](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/234935/uu-no-1-tahun-2023)

### Check the photos and the bank account

Run a reverse image search on the appeal's photos. The US Federal Trade Commission notes that scammers often use stolen photos and copy other people's stories.

Check the destination bank account or e-wallet on CekRekening.id, run by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, which shows whether it has been reported for suspected fraud. An account that does not appear is not automatically safe.

A licensed collection lists its receiving account or collection container in its permit file (Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Article 5(1)(e)), and the permit is held by an incorporated organisation (Article 3). A request to transfer to a personal account for an appeal open to the public should be questioned.

Basis: [U.S. Federal Trade Commission: Donating Through Crowdfunding, Social Media, and Fundraising Platforms](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/donating-through-crowdfunding-social-media-and-fundraising-platforms) · [JDIH Kementerian Komunikasi dan Digital: Infografis Layanan Cek Rekening](https://jdih.komdigi.go.id/infografis/view/57) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2021, Pasal 5 ayat (1) huruf e](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/217212/permensos-no-8-tahun-2021) · [Keputusan Dirjen Pemberdayaan Sosial No. 78/5/SK/HK.01/4/2026 tentang Pedoman Teknis Penyelenggaraan PUB, Lampiran I Bab I huruf D angka 2](https://simugbpub.kemensos.go.id/Peraturan?f=LANDING_PAGE%2FRef_Peraturan%2F2026%2F06%2FRef_Peraturan_20260608_50A6A1CF2FB94B0AB19E19DDFFD63F86.PDF&handler=DownloadFile)

### Good signs

The PUB permit can be verified (for example through the ministry's Cek Program page or the QR code on the permit), and the organisation is listed on AHU Online.

There are annual reports and financial statements; for large organisations, accounts audited by a public accountant (Foundations Law Article 52; Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Article 25).

A clear profile: history, board, activities, and an address and phone number you can reach (Regulation 8/2024, Article 5(1)(k)).

For wildlife: a verifiable cooperation with the BKSDA or national park office, veterinarians involved, and follow-up news on what happened to the animals (Regulation 17/2024).

You are not pushed to give on the spot, and your questions get specific answers, not just a moving story.

Basis: [Kementerian Sosial: Kemensos Luncurkan Aplikasi Permudah Izin Sumbangan dan Undian Berhadiah (27 Desember 2024)](https://kemensos.go.id/berita-terkini/menteri-sosial/Kemensos-Luncurkan-Aplikasi-Permudah-Izin-Sumbangan-dan-Undian-Berhadiah) · [UU No. 28 Tahun 2004 tentang Perubahan atas UU Yayasan, Pasal 52 ayat (1) dan (3)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40703/uu-no-28-tahun-2004) · [Permensos No. 8 Tahun 2024, Pasal I angka 2 (Pasal 5 ayat (1) huruf k)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/311984/permensos-no-8-tahun-2024) · [Permen LHK No. 17 Tahun 2024, Pasal 26 ayat (1)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/309466/permen-lhk-no-17-tahun-2024) · [UK Charity Commission and Fundraising Regulator: Donate with Confidence](https://donatewithconfidence.campaign.gov.uk/)

### Is a donation tax-deductible?

Only in specific cases. Government Regulation 93/2010 Article 1 limits deductible donations to five kinds: national disaster relief (through the disaster management agency or parties licensed to collect disaster funds), research and development through R&D institutions, education facilities through educational institutions, sports development, and social infrastructure costs. Animal welfare is not listed as a category of its own.

Conditions include: the donor had positive net fiscal income in the previous tax year, the donation does not create a loss, there is valid proof, and the receiving institution has a taxpayer number (NPWP) (Article 2). The deduction is capped at 5% of the previous year's net fiscal income (Article 3) and does not apply to related parties (Article 4).

Regulation 93/2010 is still listed as in force in the BPK legal database and is not on the list of regulations revoked by Government Regulation 55/2022. For your own situation, ask the tax office or a tax adviser.

Basis: [PP No. 93 Tahun 2010 tentang sumbangan yang dapat dikurangkan dari penghasilan bruto, Pasal 1](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/5118/pp-no-93-tahun-2010) · [PP No. 93 Tahun 2010, Pasal 2 huruf d](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/5118/pp-no-93-tahun-2010) · [PP No. 93 Tahun 2010, Pasal 3](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/5118/pp-no-93-tahun-2010)

### Promised a return? That is an investment, not a donation

Donations do not pay returns. If a call to "save animals" promises profit-sharing or gains, it is an investment offer. The crowdfunding that OJK (the Financial Services Authority) supervises is an offer of securities to investors (OJK Regulation 17/2025 Article 1 point 1), and its operators need an OJK business licence (Article 20(1)); OJK lists licensed operators on its website (Article 22(3)). Ordinary donation appeals fall under the PUB permit system of the Ministry of Social Affairs and local governments, not OJK crowdfunding licences.

Basis: [Peraturan OJK No. 17 Tahun 2025 tentang Penawaran Efek melalui Layanan Urun Dana, Pasal 1 angka 1](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/327332/peraturan-ojk-no-17-tahun-2025) · [Peraturan OJK No. 17 Tahun 2025, Pasal 20 ayat (1) dan Pasal 22 ayat (3)](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/327332/peraturan-ojk-no-17-tahun-2025)

## Red flags

- Pressure to give right now, such as "today is the last day" or "the animal will die if you don't act now".
- Money is to be sent to a personal account rather than the organisation's, and there is no PUB permit you can verify (Social Affairs Regulation 8/2021 Articles 3 and 5(1)(e)).
- Only crypto, gift cards, money-transfer services or foreign accounts are accepted; a licensed PUB collection may not take the form of crypto-assets or foreign bank accounts (Decree 78/2026).
- No reports on how earlier donations were used, no annual report and no financial statements (Foundations Law Article 52; Regulation 8/2021 Article 25).
- A moving story without specifics: unclear costs, unclear purpose, no named vet or partner.
- Photos or videos also appear in other appeals under other names (check with a reverse image search).
- Fake-rescue patterns: the same "rescuer" in many videos, implausible scenes, the filmer delaying help, no follow-up on the animal.
- Someone keeps a protected wild animal at home and asks for care costs or offers it for "adoption" (Law 5/1990 Article 21(2) as amended by Law 32/2024).
- Perks such as holding, bathing, bottle-feeding or taking selfies with wild animals.
- Promises of profit or profit-sharing: that is an investment, not a donation (OJK Regulation 17/2025).
- A name or website that resembles a well-known organisation but is not listed on AHU Online.

## Where to report

- **Online donation fraud: National Police (Patroli Siber).** Report online fraud through patrolisiber.id, run by the Cybercrime Directorate of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, not through WhatsApp numbers claiming to be the police. For legal proceedings, also file a police report at the nearest station with transfer receipts and chat records.
- **Already paid: OJK (Indonesia Anti-Scam Centre).** Report as soon as possible at iasc.ojk.go.id so the report reaches the bank or e-wallet to try to block the scammer's account. Have your transfer receipt, your account details and the scammer's, and chat records ready, and file a police report as well.
- **Suspicious account: CekRekening.id (Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs).** Use Periksa Rekening (check account) before transferring, and Laporkan Rekening (report account) to report a bank account or e-wallet suspected of fraud.
- **Unlicensed or misused collections: Ministry of Social Affairs and local social affairs offices.** Contact the Ministry of Social Affairs via Command Center 171 or WhatsApp 0813-8244-4000 (PUB service at simugbpub.kemensos.go.id). The public may monitor PUB collections and report through the ministry's online system (Decree 78/2026, Chapter III). For provincial or district-level collections, contact the local social affairs office (dinas sosial).
- **Protected wildlife kept, sold or used for content: BKSDA.** Call the BKSDA (regional conservation office) call centre in your province; find the number on that office's official website. Give the location, species, the animal's condition and photos or links. Public reports can be used by civil-service investigators as preliminary evidence (Law 5/1990 Article 39A as amended by Law 32/2024).
- **Wildlife poaching and trade: Forestry Law Enforcement (Gakkum Kehutanan).** File a complaint online at pengaduan.gakkum.kehutanan.go.id with evidence, and track its status.
- **Animal cruelty, including staged "rescues": police.** Animal cruelty is a crime under Criminal Code Article 337. Report it to the nearest police station with video evidence, links and the location if known.
- **Fake rescue content on social media: the platform.** Do not like, comment on or share it; use the report function of the platform where it was posted.
- **Complaints about a government agency's handling: LAPOR!.** If an agency does not respond to your report, file a complaint at lapor.go.id, the national complaints service that forwards reports to the responsible agency.